Points Of Focus During AC Maintenance
Posted on: 23 September 2018
Regular inspection and maintenance of an air conditioner is the best way to keep constant breakdowns at bay, maintain energy efficiency, and keep your home at a comfortable temperature all the time. The inspection is needed to identify potential issues that the maintenance should improve on. Here are some of the specific inspection issues that the AC inspector will focus on:
Physical Inspection of the AC
One of the first things the inspector will do is to give the AC a visual inspection. This is where the inspector will:
- Examine the coils for signs of damage or rust
- Check whether the fans are bent
- Check if the electrical connections are tight or loose
In many cases, the inspector can tell a lot about your AC just by looking at it. For example, an extremely dirty unit probably hasn't been cleaned or serviced for some time, which means it might have some hidden damage.
Evaluation of Operating Temperatures
The AC inspector will also check the operating temperature of the AC. This is because some malfunctions can cause your AC to overheat, and the overheating can cause catastrophic damage. For example, overheating can damage the AC motors and cause them to fail. This means your AC also has to be inspected when it's operating.
Airflow and Circulation Issues
Good airflow and circulation is the hallmark of an efficient AC system. Your AC needs to move heat inside your house and dump it outside, and this is only possible if heat exchange can take place between the air and the refrigerant. Here are some of the signs that may indicate there is an air circulation issue in the house:
- There are hot and cold spots in the house
- The coils are covered in dirt
- The air filters are dirty
- There are objects blocking the air registers
Evaluation of the Refrigerant Level
Another thing the inspector will concern themselves with is the level of the refrigerant. This is an important issue because it is the refrigerant that allows your home to be cooled by absorbing the heat and dumping it outside. Sub-optimal refrigerant levels will lead to AC inefficiency, which means your AC will be consuming a lot of energy but not producing the level of cooling desired. A low refrigerant level typically means there is a leak that ought to be repaired.
Hopefully, you have been inspecting and maintaining your AC as necessary. Talk to an AC technician if you have any issues with your AC system. Companies like Polk Air Conditioning can offer more information.
Share